[LargeFormat] Large format at weddings

[Les Newcomer]

My experience arrises only from the ' I had a friend and she 
insisted..." storyline.

She insisted Ido the wedding, I insisted I shoot it 4x5.  I didn't have 
any other equipment to use as I was just out of RIT at the time.

I used a Crown Graphic Special with a 135 Xenar and range finder focus 
for the shots onthe altar.  Those were lit with an 1800 White Lightning 
Ultra in a 40" umbrella, again because i didn't have anything else.

Other shots were done out side as it was a nice day and all the 
flashlight made the guards nervous. C block had a nice gothic air to it 
and using it as a background minimized the razor wire.  All in all I 
shot about 35-50 shots.  Everything, including the bride and groom came 
out/got out  nicely.


Les


On Friday, September 13, 2002, at 07:12 PM, rstein wrote:

> Dear friends,
>
>      Uncle Dick takes off his comic hat and puts on his serious one 
> for a
> moment. I have an enquiry that may have commercial benefits.
>
>      I do small wedding photography - by that I mean it is not a 
> constant
> money-making venture that is essential to my survival. Those of you who 
> do I
> salute - please do not be offended that I am lurking  in your field of
> endeavour. Be content that the weddings I do would never have been big
> payers to a commercial worker - nor are they big payers to me. They are 
> what
> might be termed niche coverage.
>
>     They are not great art - whatever great art is. ( Aside - Art is 
> what
> you can't sell and fine art is what you couldn't sell in a fit....) 
> They are
> cheery documentation of the day with a few mantlepiece masterpieces that
> will be dusted for decades and then pressed into a family history book.
>
>      I employ a servant, Igor, to haul cases, load magazines, hold 
> flashes,
> and bring me unconscious females during thunderstorms. Igor comes from a
> long line of Igors and is very professional at it. See Terry Pratchett.
>
>     Up to now I have been experimenting for years with the right
> combinations of cameras,films, flashes, and accessories to do the 
> coverage.
> Some weddings have been like an explosion in a camera shop - and some 
> have
> seemed like hauling ammunition up to the Somme. I have longed to reduce 
> the
> amount of gear needed.
>
>     To that end, I am devising a three-part plan for coverage. A,B,and
> possibly C. A and B involve 35mm and 6 x 6 camera outfits respectively -
> different amounts of coverage, different results for the size of prints,
> different prices. I have plotted a reasonable return on the investment 
> and
> will only be hauling one type of camera in each scenario - spares, of
> course, but not 2 systems at once.
>
>      The C option is the one I need advice on. I am contemplating 
> offering
> huge pictures taken on 4 x 5 sheet film. I have enough holders to do 50
> shots at one time, though I am contemplating only doing 32 per wedding. 
> As
> you can imagine, the price will need to be high, but the whole package 
> will
> be quite large - proofs at 8 x 10 for instance. I am contemplating 
> using the
> Linhof E on a Gitzo tripod to do it.
>
>     Does anyone else in the list use their large format cameras for 
> wedding
> coverage in the field? How do they manage the practicalities of it? Is 
> there
> a market? How many pictures do they take? Equipment? Lighting?
>
>      I would be very grateful for any advice.
>
>     Uncle Dick
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> LargeFormat mailing list
> LargeFormat@f32.net
> http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/largeformat
>